Choose Distant Worlds: Universe
Choose Distant Worlds: Universe if you want a Simulation experience. 1,147 Steam reviews back the pick.
Distant Worlds: Universe vs Orbit: Satellite Defense
Distant Worlds: Universe and Orbit: Satellite Defense both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. Distant Worlds: Universe (2014) is 4 years older than Orbit: Satellite Defense (2018). Orbit: Satellite Defense is currently ~87% cheaper on Steam than Distant Worlds: Universe (3.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Orbit: Satellite Defense
Choose Orbit: Satellite Defense if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 87% cheaper on the Steam Store. Orbit: Satellite Defense launched in 2018.
Both Distant Worlds: Universe and Orbit: Satellite Defense sit in Strategy on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Distant Worlds: Universe |  Orbit: Satellite Defense | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 71.2% positive (1,147 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Code Force | Bluish-Green Productions |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Distant Worlds: Universe (2014) is 4 years older than Orbit: Satellite Defense (2018).
- Orbit: Satellite Defense is currently ~87% cheaper on Steam than Distant Worlds: Universe (3.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Distant Worlds: Universe is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Orbit: Satellite Defense has no Deck rating yet.
Distant Worlds: Universe vs Orbit: Satellite Defense — FAQ
- Should I play Distant Worlds: Universe or Orbit: Satellite Defense first?
- If you want chronology, Distant Worlds: Universe (2014) came out before Orbit: Satellite Defense (2018). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Distant Worlds: Universe and Orbit: Satellite Defense similar?
- They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.